2 Girls Who Travel’s Hurricane Prep Tips

The most recent storm Hurricane Harvey, which made landfall in southeast Texas as a Category 4 hurricane, reminded us that we are still in the middle of hurricane season and as such, we wanted to share our tips for how to prepare for one.

So here are 10 2GWT hurricane preparedness tips, in no particular order:

Charge Your Phone – It’s not only important to charge all your mobile devices and laptops, but be sure to charge your external battery chargers as well, in case you lose power.

Have Necessities in Easy Reach – Have batteries, flashlights, candles, matches or lighters on hand. We advise to have them out in the open in an area in which they’ll be easy to find, should you lose electricity.

Get Your Water Early – If you’re not a procrastinator, you should snag up water and non-perishable food items beforehand. This will allow you to eat and drink should you a) lose electricity or b) confined to your home due to flooding streets.

Clear Out the Fridge – If you go for days without power, you risk all your food thawing out. If you have some stuff already ready to cook, go ahead and cook it all in preparation. This way you won’t starve or end up throwing away spoiled food.

Fill Up Your Tank – Even if you plan on going nowhere, gasoline becomes scarce around storm time.

Load Up Your Devices – Download your favorite Netflix shows to your phone or iPad so you have something to watch if there’s no electricity or internet.

Fill Up Your Bathtub – Fill a bathtub with water and keep a bucket close by in case your water gets shut off during the storm. This will allow you to flush your toilet.

Stay in the Know – Local news stations will have around-the-clock storm coverage, including everything from warnings, school closures, road closures and important announcements. And Facebook has helpful features in which you can mark yourself safe so loved ones outside the area can see that you’re okay. Waze is a cool app that lets you know what is happening on the roadways.

Travel Smart – If you’re traveling, most larger hotels have generators and are prepared for storms, so ask when you check-in!

Leave Early – If you do plan on evacuating, it’s best to do it as early as possible so as not to clog roadways for motorists instructed to leave and avoid being in a mess yourself. *Always adhere to the warnings of your local officials regarding evacuations. And use common sense and best judgement. If rain/flooding has already occurred, it’s too late.